"You wild Indian!" she exclaimed when I had finished the recital. "I
just knew I'd have to look after you! And I'll keep a closer watch from
now on. Oh you Boston! California was never like this."
In which she was eminently correct. But when she kissed me good night I
knew our friendship was sealed. The wink had done it.
Next morning we set out for Dover in that terrible car, without having
heard or seen anything of our hero. I confess I had absurdly hoped that
the hotel to which the conspirators had referred might prove to be ours,
but it was impossible to know if or not this was the case, as, of
course, we had no idea of what his name was, and he was nowhere about.
The newspaper naturally contained no mention of the incident inasmuch as
it had failed actually to occur, and the press is, of course, unlikely
to have any mention of a murder unless the crime is consummated. And so
it appeared that the incident was closed. I had begged Peaches not to
speak of its true import to either her father or her friend the
chauffeur, and this she solemnly promised.
"Oh, but Free!" she exclaimed rapturously. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if
you met again and fell in love!"
"Nonsense!" said I. "Why, he was young enough to have been my son!
Besides, I shall never marry!"
"That's the girl!" said Peaches. "They all say that just before the big
event. So cheer up, who knows their luck? Gee, I wish I could see him!"
And there was surely something prophetical in her speech, for Peaches
was fated to see him, though not for many hours afterward. And then she
found him for herself.
As I have stated, we set forth in that monstrous car for Dover, where we
embarked, car and all, upon an innocent-appearing little boat for what
was promised as a short journey. Possibly it was. I do not remember. I
only know that nothing in my previous nautical experience compared with
it. And when at last we landed and I had to some degree recovered my
equilibrium the most startling incident occurred. We once again were
seated, Mr. Pegg, Peaches and myself, in the car, ready to leave the
custom house behind us, and Richard, the chauffeur, was doing strange
things to the motor, when suddenly Alicia seized me by the arm.
"Free! Oh, Free!" she said in an excited whisper. "There is a man tall
enough for me!"
I looked, and lo and behold, walking through the crowd in a leisurely
fashion, a smart piece of luggage in either hand, was the young man of
the motion-picture theater. At the same moment I discerned the two
Frenchmen whose plot I had frustrated, and on the instant he also caught
sight of them, and abruptly changing his course he turned directly
toward us. Richard got in and started the engine.
"It's he!" I exclaimed excitedly. "It's my young man. Oh, the villains!
They are after him again! Oh, don't let them get him!"
"I won't," said Alicia promptly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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